Muslims living in a non-Muslim country should abide by the laws of the land as long as they have accepted to obtain the visa of that country. It is improper for a Muslim imam or any other Muslim to live illegally in any country or to use a false passport or a false visa. It is also improper for the masjid administration to appoint an imam who is living in the country illegally.
Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, president of the Fiqh Council of North America, states: Muslims as individuals and organizations should abide by the laws of the land. It is not correct to have as a leader of our community someone who has broken the laws of that country. However, whatever prayers one has prayed behind this imam are valid; but after knowing his situation, the muslim community present should try to have him replaced by a bona fide imam.